Spartans Steamrolled on Saturday

Ricky Stanzi and the Hawkeyes massacred Michigan State on Saturday afternoon in Iowa City. The only undefeated team in the conference, MSU was crushed 37-6 in the Big 10 rivalry game at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa improved to 6-2 overall while the Spartans suffered their first loss of the season to drop to 8-1. Stanzi threw for 190 yards and three scores and Adam Robinson added a pair of touchdowns for the 18th ranked Hawkeyes.
The Spartans couldn’t get anything right in the first half. Michigan State quarterback, Kirk Cousins was picked off three times and the home team lead 30-0 by halftime. MSU struggled with the pass and with the run, while Iowa recorded 238 yards on offense during the first half. Iowa moved down the field 80 yards on their first drive and never looked back. Colin Sandeman snagged a three yard pass from Stanzi to tally the first Iowa touchdown. Michael Meyer legged a 37 yard field goal to give the Hawkeyes a 10-0 edge with 2:44 in the first stanza. Iowa completed their first quarter scoring with just ten seconds remaining to take a sizable 17-0 lead heading into the second. Micah Hyde pulled in a 66 yard interception return for a touchdown. Cousins’ short pitch to B.J. Cunningham was picked off by Iowa safety, Tyler Sash. Sash scrambled for six yards before relaying the ball to Hyde. The Hawkeye cornerback ran with a sense of purpose to the end zone as Iowa took advantage of the MSU turnover.
Shaun Prater intercepted another Cousins pass during the second quarter. Prater hustled to the Spartans’ 43 yard line, and three plays later the Hawkeyes were in the end zone again. Adam Robinson hauled in Stanzi’s 32 yard pass to put Iowa on top by 23 points. Robinson rushed for 69 yards in the win, including a third quarter touchdown from two yards out. Iowa kept pouring on the points after the half. Stanzi found an open Marvin McNutt for a 22 yard Iowa score to cap the third quarter. The Hawkeyes racked up 37 points before Mark Dantonio’s dismal squad even recorded one. But it would not be a shutout in Iowa City. The Spartans finally cracked the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter. Cousins hooked up with Cunningham after an 8 play drive to make it 37-6 in favor of the Kirk Ferentz’s team. Iowa held the Spartans to 31 yards passing and Cousins finished with 21-for-29before being replaced by Andrew Maxwell.

Parting Points: Another Buckeyes beatdown—this time against the hapless Minnesota Gophers.

It’s great to see the Texas Rangers finally making it a series with the Giants.

So, Alex Ovechkin scored two power play goals in 12 seconds. Is this really that surprising? He’s the most dangerous player in the NHL.

Happy Halloween!